'Crypto' warning: CDC says fecal parasite can live for days in swimming pools

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Health officials are asking Americans to take precautions over reports that "crypto," a fecal parasite that can be transmitted via swimming pools, is on the rise.

The parasite's full name is cryptosporidium. It causes cryptosporidiosis, which can leave healthy adults suffering from "profuse, watery diarrhea" for as long as three weeks. The effects can be worse for children, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems.

"The number of treated recreational water-associated outbreaks caused by cryptosporidium drives the summer seasonal peak in both waterborne cryptosporidiosis outbreaks and cryptosporidiosis outbreaks overall," according to a statement from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Though it's almost never fatal, one death has been reported since 2009, according to the CDC. Another 287 people were hospitalized between 2009 and 2017, the CDC says.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/crypto-warning-cdc-says-fecal-parasite-can-live-for-days-in-swimming-pools/ar-AADE99L?li=BBnb7Kz

This is why they want you to shower before using a public swimming pool.

[C_U_L8R]

1. There must be Trump in the pool

That’s just nasty

[Kali]

2. chlorine is the best pool sanitary agent

and should be kept at a higher level than most people (and pool stores) think. "properly chlorinated" is not very well defined.

for those that have pools, there is a very important relationship between chlorine and stabilizer levels and you should take the time to learn about it. those handy tabs are insidious and can fuck up your water.

oh...and don't swallow the water!

[MissB]

3. Cryptosporidium dances in chlorine.

You could hyperchlorinate the pool but not when folks are actually using it.

That’s why CDC issued this warning.

Cases always spike when the pools open.

[Kali]

6. actually it is safe to swim at 10 to 20 times normal clorination levels, depending on the CYA number

public pools have a couple of problems, the main one being...the public. the overall case numbers from that article are actually pretty low, considering the numbers of people out there recreating in water in the summer.

[MissB]

8. Its also a difficult illness to nail down

Since many folks don’t freak out about diarrhea. Those that tend to get really sick might be picked up by disease surveillance but in general folks don’t go to the dr because they are pooing a lot. There is also a lag time between infection and onset of illness so it is challenging for the epidemiologists to track.

So the numbers tend to be an indicator and a poor one at that.

[pecosbob]

4. Pool guy here

I worked residential for fifteen years where the problem is seldom encountered. Nothing in the standard toolbox touches crypto. An aqueous ammonia treatment might do the trick, but that means no swimming for 48-72 hours. It's also very dangerous and nasty stuff to handle. I would typically recommend a drain and fill before an ammonia treatment. In a nutshell it's cheaper to drain a pool than to disinfect it in many cases.

[Kali]

7. disagree, CDC recommends hyperchlorinating

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3831534/Orenda_Tech_May2019%20Theme/Data-Files/Js/hyperchlorination-to-kill-cryptosporidium.pdf

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3831534/Orenda_Tech_May2019%20Theme/Data-Files/Js/hyperchlorination-kill-cryptosporidium-copy.pdf

[hunter]

5. Pool chemistry at the big resorts in Las Vegas is continuously monitored...

... and adjusted automatically.

It's extremely sophisticated and high tech. Some of the journal articles I've read are fascinating.

Old fashioned eye-dropper pool chemistry tests and gallon bottles of pool chlorine are not adequate in a world of rapidly evolving pathogens, climate change, and inexpensive air travel.